Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey, RB Keaton Mitchell questionable to play Sunday; Browns rule out 3 players
The Ravens play the Browns for the second time this season Sunday, this time at M&T Bank Stadium, and Cleveland again comes into the critical AFC North showdown banged up.
Unlike the first meeting in Cleveland, the Browns (5-3) have starting quarterback Deshaun Watson. But they won’t have starting right tackle Dawand Jones (knee/shoulder) nor wide receivers Marquise Goodwin (concussion) and David Bell (knee), with all three ruled out on Friday’s injury report.
With Jones out and fellow offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. being placed on injured reserve earlier this week, that means backup James Hudson III is set to start against a Ravens defense that leads the NFL in sacks. Geron Christian, who signed to Cleveland’s practice squad late last month, could also be thrust into the lineup. The Browns also listed starting cornerback Greg Newsome II (groin) and third-string running back Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring) as questionable.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper (ankle), tight end David Njoku (knee) and defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (groin) all fully practiced Friday after being limited a day earlier.
Baltimore (7-2), on the other hand, remains healthy.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey (hamstring), running back Keaton Mitchell (hamstring), right tackle Morgan Moses (shoulder) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (illness) are all listed as questionable. However, only Humphrey, who was not on the field when the team ended practice at its indoor facility in Owings Mills, was limited Friday.
Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (knee) and Rashod Bateman (back), nose tackle Michael Pierce (illness) and safety Marcus Williams (hamstring) also practiced fully Friday and did not have an injury designation for the game.
Humphrey has been one of the NFL’s best corners since missing the first four games of the season after undergoing foot surgery in mid-August. Mitchell, an undrafted rookie, rushed for 138 yards on nine carries in his regular-season debut Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason.
Moses, whose streak of 134 consecutive starts ended in Week 5, missed Sunday’s win but has been a full participant in practice throughout the week. Patrick Mekari has been his replacement.
Williams has missed six games this season, including the past three, but Geno Stone has been a more-than-capable fill-in with a league-leading six interceptions alongside versatile safety Kyle Hamilton. Brandon Stephens, Ronald Darby and Arthur Maulet would be the Ravens’ top corners if Humphrey can’t play.
“We’ve [played] very tough teams [and] in very physical games, and I feel like our guys have handled it very well,” coach John Harbaugh said Friday. “We have to continue to do it, because we have this game against the Browns, which is a division game. It’s going to be a physical game. … Our job is to handle it better than our opponents do.”
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